1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a radiotherapy apparatus control method and a radiotherapy apparatus controller, and more particularly relates to a radiotherapy apparatus control method and a radiotherapy apparatus controller, which are used when a tumor affected part inside a human body is treated with radiotherapy (radiation therapy).
2. Description of the Related Art
Radiotherapy (radiation therapy) is a known treatment which treats a patient by irradiating a tumor affected part with a therapeutic radiation. A radiotherapy apparatus for executing the radiotherapy includes: an imager system for taking an X-ray image of a patient lying on a couch; and a therapeutic radiation irradiating device for irradiating the patient with the therapeutic radiation. In the radiotherapy apparatus, after the couch is positionally-adjusted so that an affected part of the patient is arranged at a predetermined position based on a CT image of the patient taken in advance and an X-ray image of the patient taken by the imager system immediately before, the therapeutic radiation irradiating device irradiates the affected part with the therapeutic radiation. When the position of the patient is adjusted, it is desired to reduce a feeling of discomfort of the patient.
JP 2006-51215A discloses a treatment table for a radiotherapy apparatus on which a position of an affected part is accurately adjusted. The treatment table for the radiotherapy apparatus includes a support table and a top board, which is attached onto an upper portion of the support table and can be arranged at a first position where overlapping with the support table is the largest and a second position where overlapping with the support table is the smallest when it is viewed from a vertical direction. When the patient is placed on the top board, a value of a deflection of the top board is equal between the first position and the second position.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,373,676B2 Specification discloses a patient support apparatus for adjusting a position of a patient. The patient support apparatus can move in parallel to each of three axes which are vertical to each other and rotationally move around each of the three axes.